


Say No

by confidence_in_sunshine



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 22:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16669750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confidence_in_sunshine/pseuds/confidence_in_sunshine
Summary: For Zelda, it’s easier to let the anger take over, to let it simmer in her stomach. Edward would tell her that yes, anger was easy, but she was better than that. He always said it was something else to show vulnerability. Zelda always said he was a fool.Now he was a dead one.





	Say No

**Author's Note:**

> This was just something inspired by that scene (you know the one) in 1x09. I just love Hilda's "You always say no to Sabrina, she just doesn't listen."

There’s the sound of the clock. The constant tick echoes in Zelda’s head while she sits ramrod straight. She’s trying to focus on it because she doesn’t want to listen to the sound of Hilda sobbing next to her on the settee. Nor does she want to hear what Lord Blackwood is saying as he reclines in one of the horribly overstuffed armchairs that Hilda usually favours. So, she focuses on the clock, watching the hands tick the seconds away.

 _Tick_.

 _Tick_.

 _Tick_.

It’s been three days since Edward died. Three days. Zelda hasn’t let herself cry, she refuses to. If she doesn’t get emotional over it then it means it hasn’t happened. The problem doesn’t exist. She flat out refuses to let herself succumb to the emotions. All those years ago she had told Edward it wouldn’t end well - marrying that girl. Don’t mix with mortals, she had told him, things can only end in disaster. For Zelda, it’s easier to let the anger take over, to let it simmer in her stomach. Edward would tell her that yes, anger was easy, but she was better than that. He always said it was something else to show vulnerability. Zelda always said he was a fool. 

Now he was a dead one.  
_  
Tick.  
  
__Tick._

_Tick._

There’s another huge wail from Hilda, and Zelda’s fingers twitch. All she wants to do is wrap them around Hilda’s neck so her infernal sobbing will stop. How it’s even possible that her sister still has any tears left, she’ll never know. There’s the chime of the hour and Zelda still has her eyes on the clock; she continues to watch time pass until the sound of her name brings her back to reality.

“Sister Zelda?”

With effort, she manages to drag her eyes away from the ticking hands to look at Lord Blackwood - the new High Priest. He’s looking at her expectantly, his brow furrowed. It’s possible that the look is of concern, and she damn well hates that it manages to make her feel a little better.

“I apologise, Father Blackwood.”

A small smile pulls at his lips. “I was just saying there is the matter of the child.”

That’s right, Zelda thinks. The child - the halfbreed. Another reason to add to the betrayal she feels from Edward. Not only did he consort and marry a mortal, he went and bred with her too.

“Her name is Sabrina, as you know,” adds the High Priest, his hands clasped over the cane he has with him. He’s staring at her intently, as if searching for something (Zelda won’t let him find anything but unholy obedience on her face) while he leans towards her and Hilda. “She’s currently at the academy but we can arrange to bring her here tomorrow.”

“Bring her here?” asks Zelda. 

Hilda’s sobbing is momentarily interrupted when she interjects, “Of course bring her here, Zelda! She’s our niece.” 

“If things don’t work out she can always stay with her… other family,” says the High Priest, his eyes still on Zelda. She’s fairly certain that he hasn’t even glanced at Hilda the entire time he’s been here, except when he arrived. And Zelda doesn’t blame him. Her sister’s face is a blotchy mess and she can barely string a sentence together without blubbering like an overgrown baby. It’s so humiliating. “I’m sure it would be difficult to raise a child.”

That stings. He says it in such a way as to make Zelda wish he would stop looking at her. She’s certain an angry flush has made it to her chest and is rising up her throat. Curse Edward and his deal, she thinks. She has to raise this child, she made a vow - _Edward_ did. And now Zelda was the one that had to live with it. She’d guide that child as if she were her own, lead her towards the Path of Night. It was pure arrogance that made her say yes, that made her stand her ground.

“I can certainly handle raising a child, Your Excellency,” says Zelda swiftly. “And she is a Spellman after all.”

The High Priest reclines back into the armchair. “Good.”

There’s a polite knock on the door and Ambrose enters, his face solemn as he makes his way towards his aunts. He takes a seat between them, gently clasping one of Hilda’s hands in an attempt to settle her. Zelda listens half-heartedly as Ambrose speaks with the High Priest. The man still has his eyes on Zelda as he answers Ambrose’s questions. Normally she’d enjoy this kind of power play, but her nerves feel raw and she’s not quite sure how much longer she can keep her demeanour together. 

Thankfully, the man unfolds himself from the chair some moments later and Zelda escorts him out of the house - leaving Ambrose to deal with Hilda.

It’s dead calm when they walk outside and down the porch steps. The crunch of gravel under her heels is too loud and there’s no clock to distract her out here. Zelda isn’t sure whether to thank Lucifer or not when Faustus Blackwood tucks his cane under one arm so he can take her hands in his gloved ones. It’s a terribly wonderful distraction from her anguish but she’ll take it. If only he would stop looking at her like she was some broken animal.

“Sister Zelda,” he says, taking a step closer. “Do let me know if there is anything I can do for your family during this most horrendous time.” His hands squeeze hers before he adds, “Anything I can do for _you_.”

“Thank you for your support,” she says, allowing a small smile to stretch across her face. She knows what he’s implying - but she isn’t going to ask for it. She has too much pride for that. “And also the Dark Lord’s, of course. We will be just fine.”

She lowers her head, a sign of obedience towards her High Priest, but it’s more so she doesn’t have to look at him any longer. It’s like she’s been thrown off balance in this game they play. Now he’s the one with the robes and the position, and she’s supposed to be playing the grieving sister. It’s the determination in her faith that keeps her going, and she isn’t going to let Edward’s death get in the way of that. But when she feels Faustus step closer and his lips press against her forehead she has to resist the urge to grab at him. It’s too intimate a feeling for her right now and she just swallows down the scream that wants to come out.

With a deep breath, she raises her head and says, “Give my best to Constance.” His face hardens briefly - for a mere second - but it’s enough to make her feel like she has more even footing. Zelda knows all about Constance Blackwood and the kind of watchful eye she keeps on her husband. It’s a sinful kind of pleasure she takes in knowing that he’d rather take her hard and fast in a dark room during an unholy event than spend it with his own wife. “Goodnight, Faustus.”

He just nods and marches off into the night, and then she finally feels like she can breathe again.

“Zelds?” comes the broken voice of Hilda from the door. “What-” a hiccup here as her sister heaves in another choking breath, ”what did he say?”

Her sister makes it down the creaking porch stairs before Zelda has grabbed the nearest gardening tool (a sickle) and slashed at her throat. As she watches Hilda clutch at her throat, the blood bubbling out as she gurgles, Zelda thinks she should have chosen a different weapon. It takes her sister too long to die and the noises she makes are even more irritating than the ones she makes while alive - something Zelda didn’t think possible. Maybe she should just always stick with the hammer.

* * *

The next morning the child arrives and Zelda watches from the hall as Hilda takes her upstairs and into their bedroom. And for the rest of the day she manages to avoid the child until she retires for the evening - though she can her, and Hilda, from below. It's when she's ready to get into her bed that she finds herself staring at the cot for what feels like hours, but it’s only been a few minutes. It’s ridiculous that she’s supposed to look after this baby. Finally she walks over when she hears the baby cry, not wanting to let this small human ruin her evening. Zelda is prepared to silence the thing when she peers down and the baby looks at her. It’s at that moment that it feels like a hand has grabbed her heart and squeezed the life out of her. The baby blinks and stretches her arms out, still crying. It’s in a daze that Zelda picks Sabrina up and clutches her to her chest.

It’s a few more minutes later when Hilda comes back from the bathroom, she doesn’t say anything when she sees her older sister sitting on the bed with Sabrina in her arms. There are what look like tears running down Zelda’s face. Hilda hasn’t seen Zelda cry in… well, she can't recall the last time she saw her sister cry. She didn’t cry when their parents died, which had astounded Hilda. She'd been fairly certain that Zelda didn’t know how to.

"I heard her crying," says Hilda, slowly walking over towards Zelda and hovering by the edge of her sister's bed. "I hope she didn't disturb you, Zelds." Hilda watches as her sister takes a deep breath but doesn't say anything. "You know, if it doesn't work out Diana's family are happy to take her."

Zelda still says nothing which Hilda finds frightening. She hates it when Zelda goes quiet - it usually means she's about to do something awful. But her sister just stares at the baby and Hilda can see that Sabrina has her hand wrapped around Zelda's finger. She just wishes Zelda would say something - anything, even if she screamed at Hilda it would be better than the silence, it's just so unnerving. She even wishes Zelda would kill her again - though last night had been particularly painful. But at least it meant she didn't have to think about Edward for a time. It never ceases to amaze Hilda how different her and Zelda were - apart from the stone face expression when they were told of their brother's passing, Zelda has been acting perfectly normal (well, perfectly normal for Zelda Spellman). Hilda may have noticed that the decanter in the parlour has emptied rather more quickly, and that her sister has been smoking as if her life depended on it - but she's still been the same. Hilda can barely answer the phone without starting to cry. 

Maybe she's also inconsolable because not only did her brother die, but her only living sibling is a spiteful sister that enjoys tormenting her on a daily basis. As soon as the baby had been left with them this morning, Hilda had been waiting all day for Zelda to storm up the stairs and demand Sabrina be taken away. That it wasn't worth it and she'd changed her mind. Zelda always objected to anything Hilda wanted - even if Zelda wanted it to - just so she could be contrary and slowly drive Hilda insane (which is what Hilda's fairly sure her sister's goal is). It's enough to make anyone want to cry, so no wonder she wants her niece to live with them. There's Ambrose, and he's such a dear, but it's just not the same as having another witch in the house. Besides, the more people in the house to keep her insane sister at bay, the better. However, right now - _right now_ \- Hilda is feeling unsure because her sister has tears on rolling down her cheek and is holding a baby in a loving embrace. Not something she thought she'd ever see - unless it was the miraculous child of the Dark Lord.

“She looks like Edward," says Zelda quietly.

A smile manages to make itself known on Hilda's face, and she takes a seat next to Zelda on the bed so she can get a better look at Sabrina. She lets an arm settle around her sister and she'll sit with them until they finally decide to sleep. In the morning nothing will be said - Zelda will be sitting at the breakfast table and be on her second coffee and seventh cigarette by the time Hilda gets downstairs. She'll make some dry remark about Hilda always getting her beauty sleep and how it's such a shame it doesn't seem to work no matter how long she sleeps. And Hilda will just nod along, happy that for once, Zelda didn't say no.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you have tumblr, feel free to be my friend @meowsaidmissy!


End file.
